The latest about ms Eurodam

Royal Caribbean, NCL Unveil Latest Designs For Their MegaShips
This month, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line lifted the curtain a bit and unveiled design plans for their new megaships making their debuts in the next two years. Lots of imagination was evident in the renderings of what cruise passengers can expect on board—an amphitheater and a carousel on the Boardwalk (Oasis), an ice bar, an adults-only beach club (NCL F3)—the list goes on.  And wait, there’s more surprises to come, say the two cruise lines.
The parade of the new larger ships began with the debut of Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 in 2004 at nearly 150,000 gross tons. This was followed by Royal Caribbean’s new Freedom Class of ships—Freedom of the Seas (2006), Liberty of the Seas (2007), Independence of the Seas (2008) each having a gross tonnage of 158,000 tons. Carnival Cruise Lines has not committed to building a megaship although its parent company Cunard Corp. & PLC was first to introduce the first superliner (QM2) through its brand Cunard Line. But its 130,000 gross-ton Carnival Dream debuting next year will be the largest Fun Ship ever built for the Carnival Cruise Line.
The sizes of the RCI and NCL new ships—220,000 gross tons for RCI’s Oasis, and 150,000 tons for NCL’s  F3 ships—bespeak a trend in mainstream cruising that bigger is better since more jaw-dropping amenities can be placed on board—and generate more revenue. It also is aimed at attracting the younger, more hip cruiser and multigenerational groups.
So where does it end? Perhaps a “mother ship” capable of releasing smaller vessels to allow access to ports or remote areas that cannot accommodate these ships. (The designs were unveiled by the UK Passenger Shipping Agency at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England this month (Click Passenger Ships/UK).

Rendering of futuristic ‘mother ship’

Whatever lies ahead in the cruise industry, ships as we know them today will show a marked difference in the next decade or two. Cruising has come a long way since its resurgence in the 1980s.                              

---The Editor

Here’s a capsule summary of the latest unveilings. 

Royal Caribbean
Steeped in a philosophy that innovation and imagination contribute to a remarkable cruise vacation, once again raised the bar with the announcement of the latest amenities on its newest ship, Oasis of the Seasat a press gathering in New York this month.  Launching in late 2009, Oasis of the Seas, RCI says,  will be the world’s largest and most revolutionary ship introducing the cruise line’s new neighborhood concept—Boardwalk—a space for families inspired by the nostalgic seaside piers of yesteryear such as Atlantic City or Coney Island. The Boardwalk area will feature the first amphitheater at sea, AquaTheater, with the largest freshwater pool found on a ship

Rendering of the double-function amphitheater at sunset

offering a full spectrum of activities and performances for guests. AquaTheater, created to offer two unique experiences, will allow guests to swim in the theater’s magnificent kidney-shaped pool that measures 21.9 feet (6.6 meters) by 51.6 feet wide (15.7 meters), with a depth of 17.9 feet (5.4 meters); relax on sun loungers located on tiered platforms surrounding the pool, and even take SCUBA lessons in the afternoon. Fitted with three stage machinery devices, the pool’s depth will rise or fall to meet the needs of each performance and for its various functions throughout the day.
At night, it transforms to into a venue for theatrical performances featuring dramatic acrobatics, synchronized swimming, water ballet, and professional high-diving, as well as elaborate fountain shows synchronized to music and lights.  A giant trampoline will be centered between two diving towers allowing gymnasts and aerialists to flip and dismount into the pool. The diving tower will include two spring boards and two ten-meter-high dive platforms and will have a bridge connecting the two high dive boards to support an entire row of divers. On the underbelly of this bridge will be lights and nozzles that allow for water to fall like a curtain down into the pool below while a trapeze will hang behind the high dive boards to give the appearance that trapeze artists are climbing the curtain of water
The centerpiece of Boardwalk will be a one-of-a-kind carousel – the first-ever at sea. Hand-crafted from poplar wood especially for Royal Caribbean International, the full-sized, traditional carousel will take six to eight months to complete. It will feature 21 figures suspended from stainless steel poles showcasing a time-honored menagerie of animals such as zebras, giraffes and lions, alongside a variety of hand-painted horses

Rendering of Boardwalk with the carousel in the background

including a princess horse and a crowned frog prince. The lead horse, customarily the fanciest horse of the carousel, will be adorned with Royal Caribbean International logos, while a single chariot will serve as a stationary seat for two.  The frame of the carousel will have a red and golden yellow facade, turn-of-the-century artwork scenery panels, and LED lights that twinkle during the day and night.
A thrilling new feature—a zip line—will be suspended nine decks above Boardwalk, giving adventurers a birds-eye view of the action below, as the rider speeds diagonally across the open air atrium – a distance of more than 82 feet (25 meters).
Additional features of Boardwalk include five shops including a psychic and tattoo parlor; and four eateries, including a Seafood Shack, a donut shop, and the ultrapopular Johnny Rockets; and the Boardwalk Bar.
Crown Loft Suites: The urban living concept on the high seas is emphasized with the introduction of 28 industry-first, two-level loft suites offering expansive ocean views

Rendering of one of 28 loft suites in the Spa area

With their floor-to-ceiling, double height windows. Referred to as the Crown Loft Suites, other features will be a unique modern design dotted with abstract, modern art pieces; spacious living areas on the lower level with contemporary detailing; and a private balcony with sun chairs and stunning views to help guests unwind. Each loft, which will measure 545 square feet (51 square meters) or larger when combined, and will be fitted in contemporary décor with a Caribbean influence. The impressive design will include an upper-level bedroom that overlooks the living area and extended ocean views.  Beds will be outfitted with white, luxurious duvets complemented by tropical blue and green accents that tie into the loft’s natural surroundings.  The lofts will feature LCD televisions, separate vanity areas, a guest bathroom downstairs and an upstairs master bathroom featuring his and hers shower heads, fog-free mirrors, and limestone mosaic tile accents.
Three of the loft suites stand out in size: The exclusive Royal Loft Suite—available to accommodate groups of six—is the largest of all lofts onboard Oasis of the Seas. Spanning 1,524 sq. ft. (141 sq. m.), it will feature its own Baby Grand piano, indoor and outdoor dining rooms that seat eight, private wet bar, a library and extended 843-square-foot (78.3 sq. m.) balcony with its own LCD television, entertainment area and Jacuzzi.

Rendering of Royal Loft Suite

The Royal Loft Suite has the ability to connect to a Crown Loft Suite for additional room to accommodate a total of ten guests, providing 2,069 sq. ft. (192 sq. m.) of space. 
There are also two Sky Loft Suites that are larger than the standard lofts and though they stand as singular units, these staterooms also will feature the option of connecting together to satisfy larger groups and families. These Sky Loft Suites, identified as Corner A (722 sq. ft./67 sq. m.) and Corner B (770 sq. ft./71 sq. m.) will feature more living room space, separate dining rooms that seat four, spacious balconies with sun loungers, and dining tables that seats four.
The Crown Accessible Loft Suite will feature the same amenities as the standard Crown Loft Suites, but will measure slightly larger, at 737 sq. ft. (68 sq. m.), and will offer an elevator for the convenience of guests with special needs.
The signature lofts will round out a new portfolio of 37 categories of accommodation options many with views unique to Oasis of the Seas. Two of them—Park View and Boardwalk View balcony staterooms—offer inward facing accommodations overlooking the two open-air neighborhoods of Central Park and Boardwalk.
Other suite categories on board Oasis will include:
--Royal Suite—This spacious suite, the only of its kind on Oasis of the Seas, sleeps four and will feature one bedroom, two baths, a separate living area with its own Baby Grand piano, plush seating, a full bar, and a 52” LCD television. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors will lead to the suite’s large outdoor balcony with woven chaise lounges. The private master suite will offer an alternative sitting area with large windows facing the sea and a large jetted tub to help guests unwind after an action-packed day.  
-- Presidential Family Suite—This family suite will be another one-of-a-kind accommodation onboard Oasis of the Seas. With room for 14, and a total of four bedrooms and four baths, this space will be similar to the Presidential Family Suite onboard Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom-class ships.  Floor-to-ceiling glass windows will face the ocean and a spacious balcony provides enough room for the entire group to enjoy the outdoor dining area, large LCD screen, and private jetted tub.
-- AquaTheater Suite— All six of the AquaTheater Suites available onboard Oasis of the Seas will overlook the Boardwalk and AquaTheater and will feature private wrap-around balconies, outdoor ocean-front dining areas for six, and an outdoor bar ideal for entertaining. These new family suites will accommodate up to eight guests and will have two bedrooms and two full baths.
-- Owner’s Suite: Each of the ten owner’s suites will accommodate four guests, and are designed with one bedroom, living room and bath.  Guests will be pampered with a private balcony, outdoor dining table for four and an interior sitting area with a convertible queen sleeper sofa for two.
-- Family Suite: Sleeping eight, Oasis of the Seas’ Family Suites with balcony will feature a master bedroom and bath and a guest room with private bath. All four suites also will offer a private balcony with outdoor dining and lounge area that will seat four.
-- Grand Suite: The Grand Suites with balconies will be the most abundant suite accommodations available on Oasis of the Seas. The 30 suites will feature one bedroom, full bath, and a separate living area outfitted in contemporary décor, with stonework used throughout the entry and bathrooms. Private balconies with woven chaise lounge chairs and a jetted tub for two are other amenities for suite guests.
Smaller groups looking to reserve accommodations in the various types of Oasis of the Seas’ staterooms – interior or oceanview, with or without balconies – will be welcomed by the same level of stateroom innovations found in the suite and loft suite categories onboard.  In particular, the bedroom area of all staterooms will feature additional under-bed storage, shelf units, expansive closets that include retractable clothing and shoe shelves, and flip up bedside tables to provide more space and functionality as needed.  The bathrooms will feature a fresh design concept, providing an open space feel with clear glass shower enclosure, and additional shelves and ledges throughout.
Royal Promenade: Enhancements to the cruise line’s signature Royal Promenade will include a mezzanine level that overlooks the main promenade below. The Royal Promenade will be home to a vast array of shopping, dining and entertainment options including, the Rising Tide bar, the first moving bar at sea, which will traverse three decks.

Rendering of Rising Tide bar elevating to Central Park

and allow guests to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park.
Suspended above the Promenade’s Globe and Atlas Pub, will be an unfurling bridge on hinged hydraulics which will create a spectacular, surprise element for guests. 
Incorporated into the pub’s facade, a giant copper globe “cracks open” as part of its unique construction and extends ten feet over the Royal Promenade as a bridge platform adjacent to the entertainment area for performances.

Rendering of the bridge platform

Located towards the aft of the Royal Promenade, a mezzanine level will allow for sweeping views of the promenade and features the cruise line’s Schooner Bar, Adventures with Royal Caribbean International and the line’s loyalty member club, the Diamond Club. And another first for the cruise line, the Royal Promenade will serve as the entry point for all guests embarking on Oasis of the Seas, rather than the traditional lower decks on other ships. Overlooking the “town scene” will be 18 staterooms while eight retail outlets and nine restaurants and bars are situated along the length of the Royal Promenade:
Central Park: As described in ShipsandCruises April New Ships, Central Park is a revolutionary design in which the center of the ship opens to the sky and features lush, tropical grounds spanning more than the length of a football field.  The public gathering area will feature seasonal flower gardens and canopy trees and an onsite horticulturist will be giving gardening lectures and advice.

Rendering of Central Park

When she launches on December 12, 2009 from her homeport at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 220,000 gross-ton Oasis of the Seas will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world, spanning 16 decks and carrying 5,400 guests at double occupancy, in 2,700 staterooms. (Maximum occupancy is 6,300 guests.)  A sister ship—Allure of the Seas— will debut in 2010. Additional information is available at www.oasisoftheseas.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)has revealed its vision for the future of nighttime experiences at sea designed specifically for its two next-generation-of-Freestyle-Cruising ships, referred to as the F3 Project, set to debut in March and late summer in 2010.  From Riviera chic and Ibiza style to Miami trendy and Vegas flair, the nightclubs on NCL’s two F3 ships will create never-before-seen experiences at sea and feature multiple uses for day or night, along with exclusive, adult-only venues.
POSH Beach Club—A first of its kind beach club at sea that offers an exclusive, adults-only setting at the top of the ship; Halo, the Über Bar, a private bar and lounge in the ship-within-a-ship villa complex; Bliss Ultra Lounge, NCL’s all-day entertainment and nightclub complex with four-lane bowling alley; and Spice H20, an adults-only aft pool deck experience.  NCL’s Ice Bar is inspired by the original ice bars and ice hotels in Scandinavia. This frozen chamber of iced vodka is set in changing hues of blue, green and purple LED lighting that simulates the Northern Lights and creates a distinctive

Rendering of the Ice Bar

arctic atmosphere. The centerpiece is a giant ice cube that glows and changes colors as the hottest techno beats add to the energy of this unique nightlife attraction. In addition, NCL’s Ice Bar features a bar, walls, tables, stools, glasses and life-size sculptures all made from ice. Located on deck seven, Ice Bar will accommodate 25 guests who will be given fur coats, gloves and hats to keep them warm, since the room’s temperature will not rise above 17 degrees Fahrenheit – creating the ultimate chill. To enter, guests will pay a cover charge with a drink or drinks included.
POSH Beach Club –Adult guests who purchase a POSH pass for the day or the week will take a private glass elevator to enter this luxurious and exclusive outdoor entertainment complex styled with Mediterranean flare and combined with the sizzle of South Beach and the Riviera. During the day, guests can lounge on white-cushioned day

Rendering of the Posh Beach Club on Decks 15 and 16 aft with huge video screen

Lounges and in private cabanas in a setting accented by a 35-foot long cascading waterfall. At night, it transforms into an open air night club, complete with VIP bottle service, while the DJ sets the vibe for the non-stop party.
Halo, the Über Bar –Garden and Courtyard villa guests have exclusive VIP access to this Über Bar located at the top of the ship on the private Deck 16. This Über Bar features

Rendering of Halo, the Über Bar

LED screens, framed like masterpieces and placed strategically around the room, set the mood with video montages showing the best artwork, music videos, films, iconic images of celebrities, places, fashion and more. Private gaming tables, including baccarat and blackjack, will add to the sexy style in this adult-only club.
Bliss Ultra Lounge and Nightclub – back by popular demand. NCL takes its popular Bliss Ultra Lounge and Nightclub, featured on Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Pearl, to the F3 ships. Bliss features NCL’s signature bowling alley at sea as part of this all-day entertainment and nightclub complex that will be located on Deck seven.  In the evening,

Rendering of Bliss’s bowling alley

Bliss transforms into a hip, high-energy ultra lounge with plasma screens displaying music videos, shadow dancers entertaining the crowd and non-stop music along with a dance area, private VIP areas and mood-lit bowling. Bliss features Guests will be encouraged to wear white to the party and they can purchase specially designed "white hot" shirts and feather boas. Bliss on the F3 ships feature the addition of gaming tables with dealers.
Spice H20 – Infused with Latin and Asian influences, colors and vibes, this adults-only complex located at the back of the ship on Decks 15 and 16 features a huge LED screen

 
Rendering of Spice at night

displaying vibrant video images from charging bulls to flamenco dancers, and synchronized swimmers to tap dancing Geishas all combined with dynamic music to create a sensory experience. During the day, guests can sun on lounge beds around the pool while enjoying chill-out Asian tunes and Asian-inspired cuisine in Chinese to-go containers. As the sun sets, Spice H20 is transformed to an Ibiza-inspired beach club with live entertainment and dinner served tableside or directly on beds. The covered pool at night serves as a dance/entertainment area.
Guests will be able to purchase a Beyond the Velvet Rope package to gain access to the exclusive clubs.
NCL’s F3 150,000 gross-ton ton ships will each carry a total 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL’s fleet.  Yet unnamed, the two ships, which are being built at the Aker Yards/France are scheduled for delivery in 2009 and 2010.

Carnival Cruise Lines

The new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream is slated to debut September, 2009, operating a diverse inaugural schedule that features visits to European and Caribbean destinations. Currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the 3,646-passenger SuperLiner spanning 1,004 feet in length, is the largest and longest Fun Ship ever constructed and the line has made maximum use of the vessel’s added size by creating some unique on-board facilities and features.
Among the ship’s many highlights is a brand new concept in entertainment – The Piazza.  Designed as a comfortable oasis during the day and a bustling entertainment complex at night, this indoor/outdoor café and live music venue will feature a bandstand where a variety of musical genres will be showcased, along with a large circular dance floor. A massive floor-to-ceiling curved glass wall will separate the room, creating comfortable and spacious indoor and outdoor seating areas offering stunning ocean views. Guests at The Piazza can also enjoy full bar service, along with an espresso bar offering gelato and a variety of decadent baked goods, along with high-speed Internet access. 
Carnival Dream will also expand the traditional cruise-ship promenade with a half-mile, open-air promenade encircling the ship on Promenade Deck 5. Along the expansive promenade, four “scenic whirlpools” cantilever out over the sea providing magnificent sea views. Higher up, Lido Deck 10 will offer the most expansive open-deck area of any Carnival ship with a tropical, resort-style main pool complete with a Seaside Theatre LED screen, a Serenity adults-only retreat, and numerous other features.
A wide variety of lounges, bars and nightspots – including a new dance club concept

Rendering of the Dance Club

offering indoor/outdoor access – will be accessible via an 11-deck-high atrium whose ground level will offer a cantilevered bandstand atop a massive dance floor. Other features include an expansive 23,750-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa – Carnival’s largest and most elaborate health and wellness center to date. 
Particular attention was paid to Carnival Dream’s accommodations, as several innovative new types of staterooms will be introduced.  The line’s first-ever “cove” balcony staterooms – located closer to the water line – offer beautiful sea views and exceptional value.  
New deluxe ocean-view staterooms, featuring a unique, guest-friendly configuration with two bathrooms, will provide convenience for guests who can enjoy their unique spaciousness, particularly families. In addition to twin beds that convert to a king, ample closet space and elegant décor, the two-bathroom configuration will include one full bathroom and a second bathroom featuring a junior tub with shower and sink.
There are even staterooms that can accommodate five guests—a rarity in new ship construction and also ideal for families. Additionally, there will be a wide selection of balcony staterooms and suites from which to choose.
Additionally, adjacent to Carnival Dream’s luxurious Cloud 9 Spa will be 65 spa staterooms and suites which will offer guests a number of exclusive amenities and privileges.
Carnival Dream’s numerous family-friendly amenities will include separate, purpose-built facilities for the line’s three distinct children’s programs: Camp Carnival for kids ages 2-11, Circle C for 12- to 14-year-olds, and Club O2 for teens ages 15 to 17, along with a full schedule of morning-till-night activities catering to each age group.

Rendering of the Waterworks

Carnival WaterWorks, an expansive aqua park will offer water slides and various water spray apparatus. Carnival Dream will also be the first “Fun Ship” to feature a two-level miniature golf course.

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MS Eurodam’ Features Spa Staterooms And A Wide Range Of Art
Holland America Line and its parent company, Carnival Corporation and plc, officially accepted delivery of its newest ship, ms Eurodam, in a formal handover ceremony near Venice, Italy, on June 16. The 2,104-guest ship, built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard, is the 14th ship in the premium line's distinguished fleet and the first in its Signature-class series.
With an additional deck, Eurodam has 63 new staterooms more than the latest Vista-class ship. Forty-seven are verandah cabins and ten are a new style with ceiling-to-floor and wall-to-wall panoramic windows. Eurodam also features 56 Spa Staterooms, so named because of their proximity to the Greenhouse Spa and Salon and special in-room spa amenities.
The Spa Staterooms, so named because of their proximity to the Greenhouse Spa and Salon and special in-room spa amenities, offer their own ambiance, providing unmatched relaxation, privacy and serenity.  Located on the Panorama and Observation decks, each room reflects a nature theme with walls of soft earth-tone hues, bright, fresh green accent colors echo nature’s own, organic, fern-like patterns adorn the bed runner and pillows, and charcoal-colored carpeting ties together all the elements. A water feature in each stateroom provides a natural, soothing ambient background sound.
Amenities in the Spa Staterooms include organic cotton bathrobes and slippers, a Burmese teak mat for bath and shower and an invigorating showerhead, as well as a Body Buff Loofah Mitt and aroma therapy bath salts. In addition to standard stateroom furnishings, Spa Staterooms also include an iPod® docking station, a Yoga mat, a pedometer for use aboard ship, Fitness DVD, a no-host minibar stocked with specialty waters, a cut-fruit tray at embarkation and a spa concierge to book treatments.
Guests booking any of the Spa Staterooms may order exclusive spa stateroom-only packages in advance or during the cruise for Greenhouse Spa and Salon services. Four packages include Body of Indulgence with a hot stone massage and facial bamboo massage for $256; and Skin Renewal with facial rejuvenation acupuncture and marine facial for $289.  Other packages feature His Sanctuary with grooming treatment and shave and deep tissue massage for $189 and Bliss for Two couple’s cabana massages for $242.
An in-room dining breakfast card features a selection of Greenhouse Spa breakfast items while an all-day room service menu offers Greenhouse Spa selections that vary daily based on selections in the main dining room. Guests may also order from the standard room-service menu. 
The 56 Spa Staterooms include two Superior Verandah Suites, 36 Deluxe Verandah Outside Staterooms, four Large Ocean-view Staterooms and four Large Inside Staterooms on Panorama Deck. The 10 Spa Staterooms on Observation Deck are all Deluxe Verandah Outside rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and scalloped verandahs.
Eurodam debuts this summer with European inaugural festivities, including a July 1 naming ceremony in Rotterdam with Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, followed by a maiden voyage in the Baltic region. The ship will offer its first trans-Atlantic cruise and sail Canada/New England in the fall, followed by Caribbean itineraries the remainder of 2008.
Wide Range of traditional Dutch Art and New Works On Display Throughout Ship
From the Dutch Golden Age to dramatic sculpture, the new ms Eurodam will showcase a stunning range of artistic works. To assist Eurodam guests in viewing the entire collection, a self-guided, narrated iPod virtual tour is offered, with iPods available for use free of charge on the ship. But even prospective guests can enjoy the art and listen to interviews with the artists, as a free download will be available on Holland America’s website and on iTunes.
The Eurodam showcases the Dutch Golden Age in several public areas of the ship. Highlighting the ship’s mid-staircase is the painting, “The Nightwatch, Two Minutes Later,” by Dutch artists Aldert Mantje and Jan Maris. The painting, part of The New Nightwatch project in 2006 to honor Rembrandt van Rijn, at first appears like Rembrandt’s original, until one notices slight changes in the figures’ positions. It is accompanied by a selection of additional Rembrandt interpretations, his finest self-portraits and sketches showing his development as an artist.
Another inspired homage is the 17th century Old Masters Collage by father and son artists Peter and Sven de Ru. Installed in the Pinnacle Grill, the piece lifts the best and most famous details of 17th century Old Master paintings and recombines them into a creative digital collage.
History buffs will revel in the 17th century sea maps located at the aft staircase. Drawn by Dutchman Johannes Vingboons between 1640 and 1670, the maps show the trading routes of the Dutch East India Company’s ships around the world — remarkably accurate considering he never left the Netherlands. Additionally, several of Vingboons’ landscape drawings provide a glimpse of life in the 17th century and sailing ship adventures, including Havana Bay in 1665.
Additional contemporary artists depicting Dutch heritage are Jan van ’t Hoff, who paints still life in the centuries-old tradition, and Charles Bell, whose paintings are intense with monumental dimensions depicting fruit and flowers in casual broad strokes and vibrant colors on large canvases.  Also featured are Stephen Card, a British artist whose paintings richly detail past Holland America cruise ships, and Dutch painter Bas Sebus, whose work — a blend of the real and surreal – is in high demand by private collectors.
Following her inaugural season in the Baltic region, Eurodam will offer its first transatlantic cruise and sail Canada/New England in the fall, followed by Caribbean sailings for the remainder of 2008.

April, 2008

NCL's First F3 Ship Takes Shape With Keel Laying At Aker Yards
This month at Aker Yards in St. Nazaire, France, the keel was laid for the first of Norwegian Cruise Line's F3 ships, the third generation and the next evolution of the company's innovative Freestyle Cruising ships.  The first block of the keel, number 5006, a double bottom block weighing 322 tons, was put into place marking the start of the overall construction of the ship.
The milestone ceremony was attended by executives from Star Cruises, Apollo Management, NCL and Aker Yards. Upholding maritime tradition, each attendee was invited to put a specially designed coin in a tube that was welded shut and placed in the keel for good luck. “The F3 ships are our most innovative project in the company's 41-year history and will provide a totally unique vacation experience,” said Colin Veitch, NCL’s president and CEO.  “Today as we lay the keel for this groundbreaking new ship, we are one step closer to revolutionizing cruising as we know it.”
The two 150,000-ton F3 ships will each total 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL's fleet. 
The new ship design will offer 60 percent more guest space than NCL's largest ships to date, which will be used to provide guests an even wider range of on-board activities, amenities and stateroom options.  The ships' cabin mix will be the richest of any NCL ship with 100 percent of outside staterooms featuring private balconies. In total, each ship will have 1,415 balcony staterooms. 

NCL Unveils F3's New Wave Staterooms Design
Concurrent with the keel laying at Aker Yards, NCL Corporation revealed the design of F3's innovative living space at sea: accommodations with a completely fresh take on bathroom design, contemporary curved architecture and open living space. which represent a giant leap forward in cruise ship design. "We have thrown away the rule book with the design of F3 and today are revealing the very first element with our New Wave staterooms," said Veitch. “Gone are the regimented typical designs and in place are sleek staterooms that are totally outside the box, designed for the needs of tomorrow's guests."
The New Wave staterooms most distinctive design element is its curved walls and lines creating a modern and chic experience. NCL has maximized the living space with a bathroom that is completely unique with a separate shower stall, separate water closet and a modern vanity top sink. The staterooms feature a sophisticated earth-tone palette accented with a splash of color and rich, dark wood. Concealed contour LED lighting and back-lit domed ceilings set a relaxing vibe.

Deluxe balcony stateroom rendering
All the amenities and comforts of NCL's Freestyle 2.0 enhancements are included with upgraded bedding, linens and towels, Euro pillows, Elemis bathroom products and MP3 connectivity upon request. Balcony and deluxe staterooms have bathrobes, a customized fruit menu, a fresh-baked cookie at turn down on the last night of cruise, an escort to the stateroom on embarkation day, priority restaurant reservation and reception hotlines and special color keycard for ship-wide recognition. "Today's announcement is just the first chapter in a series of innovations we will be revealing about our new F3 ships leading up to their launch in 2010," Veitch said. "These ships will further deconstruct the traditional cruise ship experience with innovations in design, accommodations, luxury and entertainment to create a cutting-edge resort vacation experience unlike any other at sea."

Inside cabin rendering
Other design details of the New Wave staterooms include a bathroom that's "outside the box," with a separate water closet, and separate bathtub and/or shower. Staterooms with curved walls will feature a back-lit domed ceiling, more living space and a “new wave” balcony.
The two 150,000-ton F3 ships will each total 4,200 passenger berths, representing the largest ships in NCL's fleet. The new ship design will offer 60 percent more guest space than NCL's largest ships to date, which will be used to provide guests an even wider range of on-board activities, amenities and stateroom options. The ships' cabin mix will be the richest of any NCL ship with 100 percent of outside staterooms featuring private balconies. In total, each ship will have 1,415 balcony staterooms.
NCLL will announce more details about the F3 ships including other innovative accommodations, public spaces, dining, entertainment/nightlife, cutting-edge technology and casino leading up to the launch of the first F3 ship in 2010.

New 113,300-Ton ‘Carnival Splendor ‘Offers An International Array Of Cuisines
From hand-rolled sushi and a supper club modeled after New York’s renowned steakhouses to Mongolian barbeque and Indian tandoori, the new 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor will provide guests with a delectable array of international cuisines when it debuts in Europe this summer.
The largest Fun Ship ever constructed, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor makes maximum use of its size, featuring a variety of formal and casual dining options with international cuisine.
In addition to multi-course meals served in the two-level main dining rooms, a diversity of global choices await diners in The Lido restaurant, which boasts a tandoori oven offering Indian-style chicken, fish kebobs, breads and other delicacies; a Mongolian wok where guests can select vegetables, seafood, meat and spices and have it prepared right before their eyes; and the ever-popular 24-hour pizza with seven kinds of pies and calzone. The Lido will also include a New York–style deli with piled-high sandwiches and popular sides, a 35-item salad bar, pasta and meat-carving stations, and a grill serving hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken and steak sandwiches.
Carnival’s successful supper club The Pinnacle will be on hand serving dry-aged U.S.D.A. prime steaks and other dishes and will feature a glass dance floor suspended over a miniature atrium.  In keeping with the theme of culinary diversity, Carnival’s main dining rooms, the Golden Pearl and the Black Pearl, offer guests a choice of six different appetizers and soups, two salads, and six entrees, and the ever-popular Broiled Lobster Tail served once each voyage, Additionally, Carnival Classics – a selection of popular appetizers, entrees and desserts -- is available daily.
Carnival Splendor will also feature a rotisserie upstairs on Panorama Deck, serving rotisserie chicken with the cruise line’s signature spice rub, along with traditional accompaniments. And then there is The Coffee Shop, offering espressos, lattes and cappuccinos and decadent sweets, and California Roll, a sushi bar offering complimentary Asian specialties prior to dinner each evening.
There’s more:  24-hour stateroom service – complimentary, of course – where guests can have freshly made hot and cold sandwiches, salads and other fare delivered to their cabin any time of the day or night and late-night buffets with a different theme each night, including the Gala Midnight Buffet and Chocolate Extravaganza will be featured, as well. 
Carnival Splendor is set to debut July 2, 2008, with an eight-day voyage from Genoa followed by the launch of 12-day Northern Europe cruises from London (Dover) July 13, 2008. The ship will be deployed to Rome (Civitavecchia) for 12-day voyages to the Mediterranean, Greece and Turkey then reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for seven-day Caribbean departures. Following a series of 14- to 18-day South America voyages, Carnival Splendor begins year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, California, March 29, 2009.

Royal Caribbean Unveils First Architectural Marvel Onboard Project Genesis Ship

Project Genesis rendering
In its latest evolution in cruise ship design, Royal Caribbean International’s Project Genesis will feature a revolutionary design in which the center of the ship opens to the sky amid lush foliage and hidden nooks in a dedicated space spanning the length of a football field.  This new concept is the first of seven neighborhoods to be unveiled on Project Genesis.
A redesigned public gathering place popular on the Voyager and Freedom classes of ship, Central Park emulates more of a town setting restaurants, bars and boutique shops under an open air roof. Overlooking the boulevard on both sides are five decks of balcony staterooms.
Elegant and lively, Central Park’s central piazza will be the ship’s “town square” which evolves from a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere during the day to a gathering space for alfresco dining and entertainment in the evening with concerts and street performances.          Surrounding this social space will be an array of restaurants, with choices ranging from fine dining to casual chic.  Guests will have the option of an elegant dinner at the new 150 Central Park or a picnic lunch from the more casual Central Park
Café, where they can sit outdoors and people-watch

150 Central Park rendering
Other dining choices will include: Giovanni’s Table, an Italian restaurant; Vintages wine bar; and Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse.  Several bars will be scattered throughout the Park, including the Canopy Bar, located at one of two impressive glass-domed canopies, and the unique Rising Tide bar - the first moving bar at

Rendering of Rising Tide bar
sea.  Truly an engineering feat, Rising Tide will span three decks and allow cruisers to enjoy a cocktail as they slowly ascend into Central Park and then descend back into the public spaces below.  Central Park also will have stylish boutique shops, showcasing a selection of upscale merchandise.
Central Park is located on Deck 8 of the ship, with dimensions of 62 feet (19 meters) wide and 328 feet (100 meters) long. The sophisticated neighborhood will include 334 staterooms overlooking the Park, 254 with balconies.
Central Park will be landscaped with tropical foliage, including seasonal flowers, shrubs and trees.  Drawing on the concept of unexpected surprises and intrigue, garden spaces throughout the Park will sprout from charming pathways.  Drifts of Calla Lilies among Giant Elephant Ears, Red Ginger, Rabbit Foot Ferns and Zebra Calathea are some of the plant life guests will discover.  Trees, some eventually reaching more than two-and-a-half decks tall, include Black Olive, Cuban Laurel, Cherry of the Rio Grande, and Painted and Golden Bamboo.  
Surprises in the Park include quiet reading corners; a Chess Garden with large-scale pieces; the Pergola Garden, an interpretive garden featuring vegetation from a host of Caribbean locales; and a Sculpture garden, highlighting work by international artists.
Irrigation and drainage systems will be incorporated, along with micro-climate control techniques. An on-site horticulturist will provide educational classes for guests seeking to learn more about flora.
The Crystal Canopies, two impressive arched-glass domes, one with a bar, will be a focal

Crystal Canopy rendering
point of Central Park and provide sunlight into the ship’s inner public spaces.
Restaurants and dining options in the Central Park neighborhood include:
150 Central Park – The most exclusive dining venue on the ship, 150 Central Park combines leading-edge cuisine with leading-edge design.  An observation window into the kitchen of this stylish restaurant will give Central Park passersby the opportunity to observe the executive chef in action.  Open for dinner.
Chops Grille – Continuing the tradition, Royal Caribbean’s popular signature steakhouse will offer premium cut, quality meats in an upscale, contemporary setting.  Open for dinner.
Giovanni’s Table – Influenced by the Tuscan countryside, Giovanni’s will be a casual new Italian restaurant concept offering toasted herbal breads, pizzas, salads, pastas, Italian sandwiches, braised meat dishes and stews.  Rustic with a contemporary flair, dishes are served family style in an indoor and outdoor setting to provide an alfresco experience in Central Park.  Open for lunch and dinner.
Central Park Café – A casual dining choice providing a high level of variety and flexibility, Central Park Café is an indoor/outdoor gourmet market with walk-up counters.  From freshly prepared salads and made-to-order sandwiches to paninis, crepes and hearty soups, guests order directly from the chefs behind the food stations.  Open for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner and late night treats.
Vintages – Always a popular hot spot for Royal Caribbean guests on Voyager- and Freedom-class ships, the Vintages wine bar evolves into a larger space on Project Genesis, offering a variety of options for those seeking a tropical white Riesling or a mocha-inflected Merlot. 
Central Park will feature upscale retail boutiques and a portrait studio called Picture This.
When she launches in late 2009, Project Genesis will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world.  An architectural marvel at sea, she will span 16 decks, encompass 220,000 GRT, carry 5,400 guests, and feature 2,700 staterooms.  The ship will sail from her home port in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  In 2010, she will be joined by a sister ship.  Additional information is available at www.royalcaribbeangenesis.com .

Carnival Splendor:  The Ultimate Family Vacation

Rendering of Carnival Splendor
Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 113,000-ton Carnival Splendor is set to debut this summer. The largest Fun Ship ever constructed, the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor is slated to debut July 2, with a special eight-day Europe voyage from Genoa followed by the launch of the line’s first-ever 12-day Northern Europe program from London (Dover) July 13, 2008.
Designed as the ultimate vacation for families, Carnival Splendor will offer different programs catering to specific age groups, including “Camp Carnival” (ages 2-11), “Circle C” (ages 12-14) and “Club O2” (ages 15-17), along with children’s menus, a corkscrew water slide, a stroller rental program and numerous other family-friendly features.
A focal point for many of the Carnival Splendor’s youth activities will be an expansive 5,500-square-foot children’s play area – roughly 30 percent bigger than the largest facility in the Carnival fleet.  Located mid-ship on Panorama Deck, the two-level facility will be divided into separate areas with each focusing on a different activity or function.  
One area will be an all-ages playroom with a variety of toys, games and puzzles.  Another will be a computer game room with the latest computer gaming consoles, while a third will offer a dance floor and plasma screen TV displaying music videos and popular children’s movies.
Located one deck above will be a children’s water park with various water-spray apparatus, and a wet tot lot offering hours of splashing fun. The water park will complement Carnival Splendor’s four swimming pools, including a pool on Panorama Deck featuring the line’s signature 214-foot-long Twister Waterslide.
In addition to activities focusing on music, art, science and physical fitness, Carnival Splendor will also offer educational programming geared toward the ship’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera itineraries.
New ‘Circle C’ Program for 12- to 14-Year-Olds
Carnival Splendor will be the first Fun Ship to feature a purpose-built “Circle C” facility, which caters specifically to the 12- to 14-year-old set. Located mid-ship on Atlantic Deck, the sleek, modern facility will feature a dance floor with high-tech sound and lighting system, along with 42-inch plasma-screen TVs displaying movies and music videos, and a touch-screen jukebox stocked with the latest hits. Other features will include gaming pods with the latest video games and consoles, with 20-inch plasma-screens positioned throughout the room and used exclusively for video gaming. Circle C activities will include basketball, volleyball, ping-pong, water games, and late-night movies and pool parties. 
Club O2 for Teens
Continuing Carnival’s emphasis on providing older kids with their own spaces and activities, Carnival Splendor will offer its own version of the line’s popular “Club O2” teen program, which is aimed at kids ages 15 to 17. The 2,365-square-foot facility, located mid-ship on Promenade Deck, will include a dance floor, DJ, and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and a lounge where teens can relax and enjoy non-alcoholic specialty drinks. A library with popular teen-oriented books and magazines will also be available. Special shore excursions offering older kids an opportunity to visit historic European destinations together as a group, along with Carnival’s popular Y Spa teen spa treatment program, will also be offered.
Children’s Dining Options, Other Family-Friendly Amenities
Kids have their own unique dining preferences and Carnival Splendor will offer such family friendly options as children’s menus in the main dining rooms, 24-hour pizza and ice cream at the poolside restaurant, and a program where kids can enjoy a meal with the youth staff on the Lido Deck.
A children’s turn-down service providing freshly baked cookies at bedtime and Carnival’s popular Fountain Fun Card, which, for a one-time fee, provides unlimited soft drinks throughout the voyage, will also be available.
Nightly babysitting services, at a cost of $6 per hour for the first child and $4 per hour for each additional child in the same family, along with Carnival’s popular stroller rental program, are also available. Also featured will be Carnival’s Seaside Theatre, a 270-square-foot LED screen located poolside on Lido Deck and displaying movies, concerts and other programming.
Of the ship’s 1,503 staterooms, nearly 200 will be interconnecting with more than 350 accommodating up to three and four guests – perfect for families. 
You can see the latest photos on Splendor at http://carnival.com/cms/static_templates/promos/splendor/
splendor_media_gallery.aspx.

Seabourn Builds Its Future On Small Ships

Seabourn Odyssey rendering
At a time when cruise lines are building bigger and bigger ships, The Yachts of Seabourn is purposefully bucking the trend, and instead building intimate, yacht-like vessels that will allow it to maintain its position at the top of the ultra luxury segment of the travel industry. Amid all the excitement about whose next ship will be the world's largest, the company's elegant, all-suite Seabourn Odyssey, due to be launched in June of 2009, will extend the company's commitment to providing the sort of highly personalized service and exceptional delivery of destinations that is only possible on small ships.
Seabourn Odyssey and the two other new vessels that Seabourn has on order will each carry just 450 guests at double occupancy, where other ultra luxury ships are being designed for up to 750 guests, and the industry's newest mega-ship, once launched, will hold 6,400.
The new ships, Seabourn Odyssey and her un-named sisters-to-be, will provide among the highest ratios of space per guest in the industry, and they will take advantage of that space to lay on amenities such as an expansive 11,500-square foot indoor/outdoor spa, spread over two decks, that will be the largest on any luxury ship. Ninety percent of the ship's guest accommodations will have private verandas, and the ships will feature four alternative dining venues, again unheard of for ships of this size. But for all their spaciousness, the new Seabourn yachts are designed to engender the relaxed, sociable lifestyle that characterizes life aboard their smaller sisters. Lounges are scaled for informal gathering and conversation, which are also encouraged by  Seabourn's all-inclusive fares, which provide complimentary service of beverages including wines and spirits throughout the cruise. Their intimate size will allow them to call at ports and harbors where larger ships cannot follow, giving Seabourn's privileged guests access to the sort of authentic experiences they seek when they travel.
Seabourn Odyssey will begin her maiden season sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas, visiting marquee ports such as Venice, Dubrovnik, Istanbul and Yalta, as well as newly-discovered gems including Batumi, Georgia; Sochi, Russia and the Greek Isles of Khyos and Symi.

March, 2008

Production Begun On Second Genesis-Class Cruise Vessel

Aker Yards, in Turku, Finland has in its order book two huge luxury cruise vessels of the Genesis class to be delivered for Royal Caribbean in 2009 and 2010. Last month, the Aker Shipyard at Turku started the construction of the second Genesis class vessel. The flame-cutting machines were fired up to cut out the steel plate shapes for the second ship. This vessel is a sister ship to the earlier-started construction project, proceeding under the name Genesis I.
Genesis class vessels will measure 47 meters wide and 360 meters long. Their height above the water line will be 65 meters--40 meters longer than the height of the Eiffel tower!
Aker says that the building of these vessels can be compared to putting together a huge
three-dimensional puzzle. One vessel consists of 180 grand blocks, the biggest one being 22 meters in length, 30 meters in width and weighing 600 tons!
The project of two Genesis vessels translates into 12, 000 man-years of work for the yard and its partners, i.e. 12 years of work for 1,000 persons. 600 supplier companies are involved, 32 of which are design companies.
The conceptual design was done by Aker Yards in cooperation with Royal Caribbean. Half of the basic design (3,000 drawings) is concentrated on technical solutions, requiring Aker Yards’ in-house ship building expertise. The other half of the design involves classification drawings (as many as 30,000 drawings), coming from Aker’s design-supplier network.
In autumn 2009, the first Genesis-vessel leaves Turku for Miami, Florida--it will be the biggest export product Finland ever produced.
In midApril, Royal Caribbean will be announcing more details on the Genesis Project so be sure to check out New Ships.

Silversea's Newest All-Suite Ship To Be Named ‘Silver Spirit’
Silversea Cruises has announced that its newest all-suite ship will be named Silver Spirit.  Currently under construction at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard, the 540-guest vessel is scheduled to join the fleet in late 2009.  Renowned Italian architect Giacomo Mortola is overseeing the design of the 36,000-ton, ultra-luxury vessel.  With a total of 270 all ocean-view suites, the new ship will maintain the line's reputation for intimate yet spacious ships and will increase the number of accommodations in the most popular suite categories.  Silver Spirit will feature more of the quick-to-sell-out Silver Suites, with a total of 26, and more Veranda Suites, 222.  There will also be six Grand Suites and two Owner's Suites.  All but 12 suites will have verandas.  
Plans call for an exciting new supper club, offering sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in an intimate, club-like ambiance, and a new Asian restaurant. The new ship will also feature those dining venues that have become favorites of Silversea guests, such as The Restaurant, the elegant main dining room; The Wine Restaurant, where the menu celebrates the most rarefied vintages; and the Pool Grille, offering casual poolside dining.  
The new Spa at Silversea, which premiered aboard Silver Shadow's World Cruise last year, will be rolled out aboard the new vessel in grand style with dramatically more space available to incorporate new design elements. 
Silver Spirit will feature many of the same public lounges found on the line's existing ships, including an Observation Lounge, Vista Lounge (similar to Panorama Lounge on current fleet), Show Lounge, Humidor and Pool Bar, plus a new Lobby Bar styled along the lines of a European hotel, featuring Italian coffees complemented by champagne, wine and spirits -- all served at no charge.

February, 2008

Oceania Cruises Releases First Details Of New Oceania-Class Vessel

Rendering of Oceania-Class vessel
Oceania Cruises released the first design details of its new Oceania-Class ships that are scheduled for delivery in 2010 and 2011. The ships, to be constructed in Fincantieri’s Sestre Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Italy, have been designed by the world’s foremost architects of luxury ships, Y&S Architecture and Interior Design of Oslo, Norway. Y&S has been retained to design all of the public spaces, suites and staterooms, and Gunnar Aaserud, a Partner and Executive Architect at Y&S, who has done extensive work on the line’s Regatta-Class ships, is leading the design team for the Oceania-Class.
The new Oceania-Class vessel will weigh in at roughly 66,000 gross tons and will be 782 feet long and 105 feet wide.
The ships will be imbued with the same warmth and charm that the Regatta-Class is renowned for. Signature public spaces will include Martinis, Horizons, The Patio, and a Grand Staircase that sweeps up both sides of the lobby. The color palette will feature a mixture of dulcet tones which will be accented and offset by earthen and jewel tones, while an eclectic assemblage of furnishings and accent pieces will create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that more closely resembles that of a fine home or manor. 
“One of the hallmarks of the Oceania Cruises Experience is the refined yet relaxed atmosphere onboard and that is something that will continue with our new ships. Guests will experience the same intimate ambiance as our current ships, and the staff to guest ratio will be even greater, resulting in an even higher level of personalized service onboard,” stated Bob Binder, President of Oceania Cruises.
The new ships will accommodate 1,252 guests in 626 staterooms and suites who will be served by more than 780 staff members. 96 percent of all accommodations will feature private teak verandas and guests will dine in their choice of six open seating restaurants.
Additional details on the ships’ public spaces, accommodations and dining venues will be revealed in the future. For now, here are the highlights of the ship’s 11 public decks.
Deck 15—Horizons  observation lounge and nightclub and Sports Deck
Deck 14—Spa and Fitness Center, The Patio, Library, Polo Grill steakhouse and Toscana Deck 12—Guest Suites, Culinary Arts Center, Enrichment Center,       Waves Bar, Swimming Pool and Jacuzzis, Waves Grill & Milkshake Bar, private Dining Rooms, Wine Cellar and Veranda, and Terrace Café a casual buffet restaurant
Decks 11 through 7—Guest Staterooms and Suites
Deck 6—Martinis bar, Casino, Card Room, Grand Bar and Grand Dining Room
Deck 5—Main Lounge, Reception Hall and Lounge, French Restaurant, Asian Restaurant

The Ruby Princess Is Floated Out At Fincantieri Monfalcone Yard

Ruby Princess being floated out

Ruby Princess, the new Princess Cruises ship currently under construction in Italy at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone reached a significant construction milestone early this month when water began to fill the building dock signaling the start of her official float out. A sister ship to Emerald Princess and Crown Princess, Ruby Princess will feature a dramatic piazza-style atrium featuring small-bite eateries and an ever-changing array of performing street entertainers, Princess' signature adults-only retreat called The Sanctuary, an Italian trattoria, a seafood and steak house, a Movies Under the Stars giant outdoor movie screen and 900 cabins with private balconies.  The 113,000-ton ship will begin her inaugural sailings this coming November with a series of Western Caribbean cruises. The 116,000-ton ship is 289.6 meters long and 36 wide with a maximum speed of 22.1 knots. There will be 1,549 cabins accommodating up to 4,800 passengers – guests and crew included.

More Carnival Corp’s Cruise Ships On Order At The Fincantieri Yard
The Ruby Princess is the twenty-fourth cruise ship to be built at Monfalcone since 1990 and the thirteenth to be built here for Princess Cruises. In addition to the Ruby the yard’s order book includes a 113,000-ton vessel, the Ventura for P&O Cruises, due for delivery in April.
Moreover, the Fincantieri yard is also scheduled to build a further two ships, ordered by Carnival Cruise Lines: the Carnival Dream, due for delivery in autumn 2009 and the Carnival Magic due to enter service in spring 2011. Weighing in at 130,000 gross tons, the two ships will be the largest passenger ships ever built by Fincantieri.
A vessel for P&O Cruises is also being built at the yard due for delivery in spring 2010 as is the Queen Elizabeth for Cunard Cruise Line, which is scheduled for delivery in autumn 2010.
Carnival Corp. & PLC is the parent company for the above named cruise lines.

Celebrity Cruises Unveils 10 Restaurants On ‘Celebrity Solstice’
Ten of 2008’s hottest new restaurants will open this fall on Celebrity Cruises' new Celebrity Solstice. Celebrity partnered with some of the world’s best designers in the hospitality business to create the restaurants onboard Celebrity Solstice; among them, preeminent restaurant and hotel designer Adam Tihany, who created such lauded restaurants as Per Se, Jean Georges, Le Cirque, The Sea Grill and Osteria del Circo in New York; Aureole, Bouchon and Seablue in Las Vegas; and Monte’s and the chic Mandarin Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London.  “The dining experience has always been central to our guests’ cruise experience, and on Celebrity Solstice, we’ll present the extraordinary service the brand is known for, in venues designed to perfectly complement the spectacular cuisine,” said Celebrity’s President and CEO Dan Hanrahan. “The larger size of Celebrity Solstice allows us to offer more options for our guests, with menus created by some of the best talent in the business.”
In his first foray into design onboard a cruise ship, Tihany created Celebrity Solstice’s dramatic, two-level Grand Epernay dining room with its two-story wine tower; the classic steakhouse, Tuscan Grille; and the stylishly casual Oceanview Café and Grill on the ship’s lido deck.
Old Hollywood glamour meets stunning contemporary design in the refined, sweeping
Grand Epernay main dining room. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, evening entrée options will include peppered bison filet with red onion preserve; smoked filet with lentil stew, sultana caper and beef jus; and taro-crusted salmon filet with glazed Brussels sprouts, turnip hash and apple cider sauce. A champagne collection from the region inspiring the venue’s name includes Perrier Jouet Grand Brut, Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon, Heidsieck and Monopole, Champagne Pol Roger, and Louis Roederer Cristal.
In the Tuscan Grille Old World charm greets guests as they enter through an archway reminiscent of a fine Napa Valley wine cellar. There, diners can enjoy Caesar salads prepared tableside, antipasti bar, Kobe beef, and a variety of steaks, all paired with a robust list of fine Italian wines.
Exotic Asia is the theme of this contemporary, casual specialty restaurant named Silk Harvest that was designed by RTKL. The menu serves up a fusion of hot and cold, spicy and mild Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and Indian selections, while the specially-selected libations include a variety of sakes, Asian-influenced martinis and beers, and cocktails.
A new venue called Blu is being designed exclusively for guests booked in Celebrity Solstice’s new AquaClass category of accommodations, Blu is open for other guests on a space-available basis. The menu features savory appetizers such as roasted beet salad with goat cheese; Mediterranean chopped salad with pita chips and pomegranate vinaigrette; and entrees including blackened ahi tuna, pan-seared filet mignon, and herb-crusted rack of lamb.
A twist on the restaurant of the same name on Celebrity Century, and reflective of the specialty restaurants on the cruise line’s Millennium-class fleet, Murano presents a blend of classic and modern Continental cuisine. The warm, elegant restaurant designed by BG Studios of New York features dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, with romantic ocean views that pair beautifully with the fine Riedel stemware, exquisite bone china and gleaming silverware. The wine cellar offers options from around the world, with a focus on boutique-style and limited-production vintages. Appetizers include warm goat cheese pancakes with sweet bell pepper nage; salads include a combination of Maine lobster, white asparagus and black truffle lobster aioli; and entrees run the gamut from spice-roasted duck with raisin-apple compote to pan-seared turbot with Alaskan King crab ragout.
A variety of specialty crepes highlight the menu at Bistro on Five where guests are welcome to take out selections, but the ocean views are likely to entice them to stay. Designed by Wilson Butler Associates, the venue’s crêperie is complemented with sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts and entrees including quiche, fish and chips, baked ziti and chicken pot pie nearly around-the-clock. Café al Bacio & Gelateria is designed as an upscale European coffee house, highlighted by a sophisticated gelateria serving authentic gelatos and Italian ices, as well as signature and specialty coffees, teas, fresh-baked pastries, chocolate truffles and petit fours.
The AquaSpa Café is the perfect option for guests seeking quick, lighter fare. A signature venue introduced on Celebrity’s Millennium-class fleet, and designed by RTKL, the soothing, airy setting invites guests to dine at comfortable tables while soaking up the tranquility of the Solarium, or enjoy their cuisine while nestled in the comfort of the lounge chairs. The Mast Grill & Bar  offers comfort food, where the simple, fast and tasty options include burgers grilled to order, tacos, nachos, hot dogs, bratwurst, chicken wings, lamb gyros, Reuben sandwiches, and onion rings. And embodying the casually chic atmosphere of a European marketplace, the Oceanview Café and Grill offers extensive menus with international flavors that change to reflect the regions in which the ship is sailing. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the venue offers plenty of outdoor seating for dining al fresco and soaking up the sun and sea air. Inside, during evening hours, a special section of the venue features tables draped with linen tablecloths for yet another casual dining option.

Dame Helen Mirren To Name Britain's Largest Superliner ‘Ventura’

Ventura rendering
British icon and Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren is to name the
largest superliner designed exclusively for Britain, the Ventura. The spectacular evening naming ceremony with Mirren as the ship’s godmother will take place in Southampton on April 16, prior to Ventura’s maiden cruise to the Mediterranean.
Dame Mirren said, "It is the first time I have ever named a ship, let alone one of the size of P&O Cruises Ventura and am really looking forward to being Godmother.”
In keeping with Ventura’s contemporary and innovative values, her naming
ceremony will be a departure from tradition.  As well as Dame Helen's
customary champagne naming, the celebration will encompass an exciting show
with dramatic surprises. Onboard will be 1,500 invited guests  including Ventura’s consultant celebrity chef, Marco Pierre White, and children's favorite, Noddy.  The occasion will benefit three children's charities supported by Dame Helen and P&O Cruises - Barnardos, Kid's Company and Naomi House.
Ventura, at 115,000 tons, is more than 40 per cent larger than the P&O Cruises ship Arcadia, currently the largest built for the UK  market. At full capacity, she will carry nearly 3,600 passengers and 1,200 crew. Full details of all the facilities on board may
be found by visiting www.virtualventura.co.uk. Costa Luminosa and Costa Pacifica to Debut in 2009

Silversea Announces Its New Expedition Ship To Be Named HSH Prince Albert II
Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises announced today that its new expedition ship (originally acquired as World Discoverer II) will be renamed HSH Prince Albert II, in tribute to Prince Albert of Monaco.  
The Lloyd's Register A1A ice-rated vessel is purpose-built for expedition cruising and is currently undergoing an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation at the Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy.  To ensure the ship will deliver an expedition cruise experience consistent with Silversea's award-winning luxury standards, the refurbishment will include exterior design modifications, state-of-the-art technological enhancements and a comprehensive upgrade of all guest accommodations and public spaces.  
The ship is also being outfitted with a new fleet of eight, latest-model Zodiac boats with Yamaha four-stroke engines (for lowest possible emissions) that will allow guests to enjoy up-close exploration and access to some of the world's most remote landscapes.
Silversea's expedition ship will set sail June 12 from London on an Inaugural Season of voyages of ten- to 21 days focusing on polar adventures.  Sailing first to the Arctic Circle, Svalbard, Iceland and Greenland for the summer, the ship will then reposition to South America and Antarctica for autumn and winter voyages.  From mid-August to November 2008, HSH Prince Albert II will journey from the east coast of North America through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles before heading south to Ushuaia. Along this special repositioning route are opportunities to explore the Sea of Cortez (with an extension to Copper Canyon), Falklands and South Georgia Island.  Pricing starts at $3,867, per person, double occupancy, and includes shore excursions as well as Silversea's signature all-inclusive amenities.
After the ship's refit, the ice-class vessel will carry just 132 guests in 66 ocean-view accommodations, many featuring private verandas.  With staterooms and suites ranging from 180 to over 600 square feet, it will provide some of the largest accommodations of any expedition ship. 18 suites will each feature more than 400 square feet of luxury.  
Guests will also enjoy many amenities found on larger ships, such as an elegant single-seating main dining room, library (with computers and Internet access), boutique, beauty salon, fitness center, full-service spa and two Jacuzzi pools.  The ship will also feature several lounges for enjoying drinks, music and entertainment, including a cigar lounge like the Humidor on the line's other ships.
The HSH Prince Albert II will also be equipped with state-of-the-art satellite communication systems, providing bow-to-stern wireless Internet access, enabling guests with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops and PDAs to surf the Internet and check e-mails from the comfort of their suites as well as public areas.  Cellular phone service will also allow guests to stay in touch using their own cell phones even when the ship is miles away from land.  All suites and staterooms will feature flat screen monitors offering interactive TV and video options.  In the ship's lounges, the latest audio-visual equipment, complete with high-definition video screens, will display live lectures hosted by the ship's world-class expedition and lecture staff as well as visiting destination experts.
Reservations are set to go on sale starting Friday, February 29, 2008.  A colorful self-mailer will be available to travel agents in a few weeks.  Visit www.silversea.com/HSHPrinceAlbertII   for more details on the HSH Prince Albert II's inaugural schedule.

Two Costa Ships To Debut In 2009
Costa's Summer 2009 Europe cruise season will be highlighted by the arrival of its two newest fleet members - the 92,700-ton Costa Luminosa and the 114,5000-ton Costa Pacifica, a sister ship to the Costa Serena and Costa Concordia. Built for picturesque voyages, 68 percent of the cabins aboard the Costa Luminosa feature balconies - the largest percentage of veranda cabins in the Costa fleet. With accommodations for 2,828 total guests in double occupancy cabins, and 1,130 staterooms (772 of which offer verandas), this one-of-a-kind ship offers the very best of the Costa product in terms of wellness, entertainment, exclusive itineraries, art, intimate settings, as well as fine food and wine. In addition, she will feature a new Costa innovation—a golf simulator boasting 37 virtual golf courses as well as an outdoor putting green.
The Costa Pacifica will debut in May 2009. She will have accommodations for up to 3,780 guests, and will feature popular innovations found on her sister ships, including the revolutionary Samsara Spa, a covered swimming pool area extending over two decks, and a Grand Prix race car driving simulator and a design theme inspired by the very best in music from all periods. The ship's design gives guests the opportunity to listen, read and live music in every area of the ship—a first on a cruise ship. A soundtrack composed exclusively for Costa will accompany this prestigious "musical" journey.

January, 2008

Wanted: Lawn Keeper For 'Celebrity Solstice's Real Grass

Celebrity Solstice’s Lawn Club

The first ever Lawn Club, complete with real growing grass, will be the next feature to take to the high seas when Celebrity Cruises launches the new 122,000-GRT Celebrity Solstice in December 2008. At over 2,130 square metres, the equivalent to more than
eight tennis courts, the new Lawn Club also sees the cruise line embark on a search for an experienced groundskeeper to tend the new greens onboard.
To develop the idea of real grass growing onboard a cruise ship, Celebrity Cruises worked with design firm Wilson Butler Architects to design the entire Lawn Club area, plus a team of landscape architects and irrigation specialists who worked alongside turf and soil scientists from the University of Florida. Together, they conducted extensive research and tested a variety of grasses to determine which can withstand the winds, sun, shade and temperature variations that will affect the grass and soil as Celebrity Solstice sails in the Caribbean this winter. Other considerations included the ability of the grass to tolerate foot traffic, irrigation and the day-to-day care and maintenance of the grass. Even the weight of the grass and soil had to be considered, as well as the water absorption from the atmosphere and from irrigation. “When Celebrity Solstice launches in December, travelers will find that the grass really is greener with Celebrity Cruises. The ship will present an industry first on the top deck of the ship: real, growing grass, set in a new country club environment known as ‘The Lawn Club,” says Dan Hanrahan, President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. “Offering bocce ball(1)1, croquet, real putting greens and spaces to enjoy a picnic, the new Lawn Club area of the ship will entice holidaymakers with a host of authentic experiences never before available at sea.”

Croquet anyone?

The half-acre Lawn Club is located on the top deck of the new Celebrity Solstice, the first new ship in six years from Celebrity Cruises. It will also include the new Hot Glass Show, another first in the industry, developed in collaboration with the Corning Museum of Glass; the Patio on the Lawn; the Lawn Club Shop, and the Sunset Bar located at Celebrity Solstice’s highest point aft providing breathtaking views in a relaxed atmosphere
The Lawn Club is 2,130 square meters (22,927 square feet), The Lawn Club is just over a half-acre in size and over three times larger than New York’s Rockefeller Center ice skating rink (668 sq. meters)
The Hot Glass Show, presented in collaboration with The Corning Museum of Glass, is the patio’s main feature.  In its own, dedicated glassblowing studio, the Hot Glass Show will present the history and craft of glassblowing, from its ancient origins to its current countless uses. Three resident “gaffers” – highly skilled glassblowing artists – will educate and entertain cruisers with live glassmaking shows, lectures and workshops.
A nine-night fly/cruise onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice starts from £1,228 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin). Price includes return flights from the UK, transfers, seven-night cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale (Florida) and calling at San Juan (Puerto Rico), Basseterre (St Kitts), Philipsburg (St Maarten) before returning to Fort Lauderdale; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant fees and taxes. For more information see www.celebritycruises.co.u k or call 0845 456 0523.

P&O’s New ‘Ventura’ To Feature First Circus School At Sea
Passengers on Britain’s largest & newest superliner Ventura will be able to fly high  above sea level at Cirque Ventura—the first circus school at sea. Located  high  up  on deck 19, highly skilled performers will run workshops with  a  host  of  exciting  activities on offer including tight wire, acro balance,  clowning, break-dancing, juggling and stilt walking. In addition, the area will be equipped with two thrilling centerpieces:  four bungee trampolines, which will enable passengers to soar 60 meters above sea
level, and a flying trapeze.
Cirque  Ventura,  onboard  Ventura  in  April  2008,  will  be  operated in partnership  with  leading UK circus skills powerhouse  the  Generating Company. Activities include: static trapeze flying trapeze aerial hoop clowning and slapstick break dancing
juggling and hoola hoop, acro balancing, tightwire, Chinese pole, stilts and bungee trampoline. On each cruise workshop teachers and passengers will have the chance to perform in a special presentation.
For further information on the Generating Company, please visit
www.generatingcompany.co.uk

Royal Caribbean International’s Project Genesis Begins To Take Shape

The ship’s first blocks are set in place for construction to begin
Project Genesis, the largest cruise ship to ever make it from drawing board to production made a significant step in its journey towards the sea in December at Aker Yards ship yard in Turku, Finland. At the milestone keel-laying ceremony, the first blocks constructing the 220,000 GRT Project Genesis were laid into the bottom of the dry dock. From here the ship will begin to take its form for the first time.
At 40 percent larger than any other cruise ship in the world, Project Genesis—the working title applied by cruise line Royal Caribbean International, the company behind its development—is scheduled to enter service in Autumn 2009. Project Genesis will be homeported year-round from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
Project Genesis will be 1,180 feet long, 154 feet wide, and 240 feet high and will accommodate over 5,400 guests. The ship will take 5,800 man-years to complete and is expected to float on water for the first time in winter 2008 as it nears the finishing stages. At a cost of US$230,000 per berth, Project Genesis is the most expensive cruise ship ever to be ordered.
Standing upright bow-to-stern, Project Genesis would dwarf the One Canada Square building at Canary Wharf and New York’s Chrysler Building. The ship is also one and a half times taller than the O2 Arena and is longer than four football pitches.
 Ships already in the Royal Caribbean International fleet feature surfing wave pools, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, children’s water parks and shopping centre-style complexes. Project Genesis is projected to carry on this tradition and include new facilities never before seen at sea.
Royal Caribbean International has a second ship of this scale, Project Genesis II on order from Aker Yards. Project Genesis II is scheduled to be completed in August 2010, and the first Project Genesis ship will begin taking guests in Autumn 2009.

New Diesel Engine Generators Installed on ‘Costa Luminosa’ and ‘Costa Pacifica’
Costa’s newest flagships, the 92,700-ton Costa Luminosa and the 114,500-ton Costa Pacifica, will feature diesel engine generator sets with enough power to light up a city of over 100,000 people. The Italian company will inaugurate both ships in June 2009. The installation of the diesel engine generator sets feature six engines for each ship, both capable of producing power of almost 140 Mw, equivalent to the electricity consumption of a city with a population of over 100,000. Each engine on the Costa Pacifica weighs 166,000 kg, features 12 cylinders and can generate power of 12,600 kW. The Costa Luminosa features two types of engines—four 170,000 kg, 12-cylinder, 12,000 kW generating sets as well as two 120,000 kg, 8-cylinder, 8,000 kW engines.
The Costa Luminosa will be a one-of-a-kind ship, combining the very best of the Costa product in wellness, entertainment, exclusive itineraries, art, as well as fine food and wine. She will feature accommodations for 2,260 guests in dual occupancy cabins. Moreover, she will feature 772 veranda cabins from a total of 1,130 staterooms, which is the highest percentage of veranda cabins in the Costa fleet (68%). Facilities onboard will include the best of the latest innovations offered by Costa, including the Samsara Spa, which at 23,000 square feet is one of the largest and most exclusive spas at sea, featuring cabins with direct access to the spa facilities via private elevator and stairway. It will also feature a large pool deck extending over two decks and fitted with a sliding glass magrodome, as well as a Grand Prix race car driving simulator and 18-hole championship golf course simulator.
The Costa Pacifica, sister ship to the present flagships Costa Concordia and Costa Serena, will be 114,500 gross tons and able to accommodate up to 3,780 guests.  She will feature all of the main innovations that have proven so popular on her two sister ships, notably the Samsara Spa, the covered swimming pool area extending over two decks, and the Grand Prix driving simulator.
Costa Crociere currently has five ships on order, which will make the Costa fleet 17-strong by 2012 with total guest capacity of 36,800 in dual occupancy cabins.  In addition to the Costa Luminosa and the Costa Pacifica, Costa Crociere has commissioned another three new builds from Fincantieri’s Marghera yard – one 114,500-ton ship and two 92,700-ton ships. Costa’s fleet expansion program, which began in 2000, entails a total investment of 5.5 billion euros with the addition of 13 new fleet members from 2000 to 2012.

Royal Caribbean’s ‘Independence Of The Seas’ Nears Completion
With only 15 weeks until delivery, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Independence of the Seas, took to the seas for the first time on January 11. having reached an 85 percent complete-build status. The ship, currently under construction in Turku, Finland at the Aker Yard ship yard, will be the third ship in the cruise line’s world record-breaking Freedom-class of ships.
Large sections of Independence of the Seas are nearing completion as an army of over 1,700 workers is currently working in temperatures several degrees below zero with snow forecast. Areas of the ship currently being worked on include the main dining room, the theatre and the upper deck pool area. The ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean International in late April 2008, two weeks ahead of schedule. She will arrive in Southampton in April 2008. “The completion of Independence of the Seas is a milestone for Royal Caribbean International as she will be the first newbuild ship to homeport outside of the United States,” says Jo Rzymowska, managing director of Royal Caribbean International, UK and Ireland. “Here at Royal Caribbean International we are hugely confident in the market potential of this ship, specifically with first-time UK cruisers in particular.”
Royal Caribbean International has also announced that Independence of the Seas will becoming into service two weeks earlier due to works being completed ahead of schedule, meaning an additional two sailings are now available on board the new ship from the beginning of May 2008. The new sailings including a four-night Cork cruise that departs on May2, sailing from Southampton to Cork and back to Southampton from £449 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), and an 11 night Canary Islands cruise that departs on 6th May, calling at